The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-26
NOTED sHREws IN HISTORY.
Women who Have Become Famous aud
Notorious for Scolding.

Chicago Critic. y
Some of the shrews haveshad IS enduring
record in history as have some OF the beautles,
though owing their fame to very opposite
quality England and France supply the most
prominent specimens.
Royalty first, however. Mathilda, Empress
and claimant against King Stephen for the
crown of England, has left fair claim to
mastertul temperament Queen Ehzaeetn,
etters and actions, when the boxed Essexs
ears, right royal shrew. So Catherine
of Russia a shrew, who had absolute power to
back up her ShrewishneSS.
In Henry Wits reign Lady More, wife of the
great and good Sir Thomas, stands out very
definite shrew who ruled her husband and chill
dren alike with much austerity. But she does
not though she liked her own way, appear.
far we see, in any way to come up to
Lady Coke, in James Is reign Tbs lady drove
her husband, the terrible Chief Justice (of
whom James himself said, Nay. mon, If Coke
send for me must go"l. nearly frantic. The
subject was their daughters marriage. Lady
Coke was furious indefatigable, resolute, and
a most accomplished scold.
Now for French one little known 70 English
readers in general. She was Nine. de Vervlns
who. in the seventeenth century, was line
specimen of the species. She told her servants
to kill those of lady whom her lackeys Insult
ed for venturing to defend their mistress. She
bullied her husband necessarily, and on one
casion in quarrel used riding whip an ar
gument She habitually beat her servants vlo-
lently. She scolded her acquaintances for the
least difference of opinion, unfavorable crit
c;sm, or most minute slight offered to her. and
plotted their assassination II they opposed her
imperiouS and arbitrary nature
Another woman of the same type, who loved
to play the ''shrew' in public, and specially at
balls and parties, was Nine. d'Orgeval. She
lived in the time as Nine de Vervlns.
Nine. d'Orgval gave great entertainments. but
she and her daughter, according to the French
memoirs. chiefly loved doing insolent things IN
a polite manner. On all occasions Nine. dOrge-
walls temper was furious if any lady danced bet
ter or oftener than her daughter. In one in
stance of this she told the lady who offended
her that if she continued dancing she would
stop the ball. She bulied her guests with Wig
or. and demanded her way in everything.
Returning to England our gallery of por-
traits must not omit Sarah, first Duchess OF
Marlborough, whose violent temper made her
generally dreaded. She had the good quality Of
loving her husband, the famous General. and
thinking him the foremost of men. But to ev-
e-y one else she could be a shrew occasion.
Poor Queen Anne was afraid of her. She bull
led her if she nobody. And in the MS.
room of the British Museum much contempt
rary light is thrown on this subject by
markable letter to be seen there, written at the
time, and describing order sent to the Duke
and Duchess to give up their insignia of Office
without notice, and telling the latter that she
not to come to the Queen. who, doubt,
was afraid of her This was at the time when
her enemies intrigues (led by her cousin Miss
Masham, whom she had placed at court in her
INTEREST," We're successful.